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Chapters (76)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise forMATTHEW HARFFY
  3. BY MATTHEW HARFFY
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright
  6. Dedication
  7. Maps
  8. Epigraph
  9. Contents
  10. Place Names
  11. One
  12. Two
  13. Three
  14. Four
  15. Five
  16. Six
  17. Seven
  18. Eight
  19. Nine
  20. Ten
  21. Eleven
  22. Twelve
  23. Thirteen
  24. Fourteen
  25. Fifteen
  26. Sixteen
  27. Seventeen
  28. Eighteen
  29. Nineteen
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Twenty-Three
  34. Twenty-Four
  35. Twenty-Five
  36. Twenty-Six
  37. Twenty-Seven
  38. Twenty-Eight
  39. Twenty-Nine
  40. Thirty
  41. Thirty-One
  42. Thirty-Two
  43. Thirty-Three
  44. Thirty-Four
  45. Thirty-Five
  46. Thirty-Six
  47. Thirty-Seven
  48. Thirty-Eight
  49. Thirty-Nine
  50. Forty
  51. Forty-One
  52. Forty-Two
  53. Forty-Three
  54. Forty-Four
  55. Forty-Five
  56. Forty-Six
  57. Forty-Seven
  58. Forty-Eight
  59. Forty-Nine
  60. Fifty
  61. Fifty-One
  62. Fifty-Two
  63. Fifty-Three
  64. Fifty-Four
  65. Fifty-Five
  66. Fifty-Six
  67. Fifty-Seven
  68. Fifty-Eight
  69. Fifty-Nine
  70. Sixty
  71. Sixty-One
  72. Sixty-Two
  73. Author’s Note
  74. Acknowledgements
  75. About the Author
  76. An Invitation from the Publisher

Back then, standing in the warmth of the summer sun outside Tannskári’s hall, I was painfully aware of my body’s excitement. I longed to return to the dream, where the pretty young woman had lovingly caressed me, but I tried to shake off the temptation of dwelling on such lewd thoughts. More than anything, I thought, I needed a piss. I scooped more porridge into my mouth, anxious now to be done with the food so that I could find somewhere to relieve myself. If I could empty my bladder, perhaps then I would be rid of the uncomfortable sensation that stirred my manhood.

“You are hungry, I see,” said a voice very close to me.

Turning, I saw with horror that the speaker was the young woman I had dreamt of. I felt my face redden and, in my desperation to swallow the food in my mouth, I choked. Coughing and spluttering, I sprayed glutinous lumps of oatmeal from my lips. With terrible embarrassment I felt her small hand against my back. The delicate hand that had excited me in my dreams, now slapping me to dislodge the food that was causing me such distress. When I was able to breathe, I accepted the cup that she had picked up from the ground. I sipped the water, gradually easing my coughing. I took the moment to compose myself and to watch her over the rim of the cup.

She was even more beautiful than I had remembered. Her eyes were a blue as pale as the sky, her plaited hair shining as brightly as burnished gold. She was younger than I had thought too, the shadows of the hall at night lending her age. I wondered how long it would be before she was married. With such beauty, it would surely not be difficult for her father to find her a husband. But perhaps here on this island, far to the north of Pictland, there were not many suitable men. For the briefest of moments, I wondered whether I could be a prospective match for her. I had not considered marriage before, but in that instant, my young heart fluttered like a butterfly caught in a stiff wind and the idea of marrying this girl of my dreams seemed very real to me.

“Are you Hunlaf?” she asked and I almost choked again, this time on the water. She knew my name! I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. “Good,” she went on. “I have been sent for you.”

“For me?” I cursed inwardly at the squeak in my voice.

She smiled, and her face lit up, even more radiant than before.

“Yes. The old Welshman wants you. The one with the strange name.”

“Gwawrddur?”

“Yes,” she said. “That’s the one.”